Friday, February 29, 2008

(02-29) 16:41 PST SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco police asked for the public's help Friday in solving a pair of unrelated shootings that left two women dead.

The first shooting happened Feb. 13 during a home invasion attack on Potrero Hill by an assailant who police believe may have been looking for drugs.

Liri Lesku, 34, was mortally wounded when the gunman broke into the residence at 406 Kansas St. at 2:30 p.m. and opened fire, police said. A man and a woman who were also in the home were wounded. Their names have not been released.

Lesku died Feb. 26 at San Francisco General Hospital.

"Whoever the gunman was, obviously he knew who they were," said Lt. John Murphy of the police homicide detail.

Records show that at the time of her death, Lesku was on probation stemming from a felony drug conviction in May 2006.

She was charged in January with felony heroin possession, and prosecutors allowed her to plead no contest to a misdemeanor count of solicitation of drugs. She was given credit for 17 days in custody and put on probation for three years.

The second shooting happened at 1 p.m. Feb. 19 and claimed the life of Sharon Cole, 33. She died at San Francisco General on Feb. 20.

Cole was a passenger in a car when she was shot, and the driver took her to the hospital, police said. Investigators believe she was shot near a car wash at Third Street and Paul Avenue, where officers received a report of gunfire. But they lack evidence and the driver has not cooperated with police, Murphy said.

"Right now, we have no crime scene," he said.

Police appealed to anyone with information about either killing to call investigators at (415) 553-1145.

I wonder what the deal was with the lack of reporting for BOTH of these murders. The first shooting was ignored by the Chronicle completely, for over 2 weeks, and still for 3 days after one of the victims died. The other murder was ignored for over a week also.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

In 2007 there were 234 gunshot victims and 208 stab victims brought to SF General Hospital, the City's lone trauma ward. I seem to remember that in 2001 there were just 81 gunshot victims treated at SF General Hospital. Anyways, this graphic here tells it all, from 2003 through 2007, with numbers of patients, and the number of those patients that died from their wounds at the hospital. The full story is in the Examiner.

Friday, February 22, 2008

No news, but according to a commenter on SFist, this happened last night:

"Okay, that sure sounded like three gunshots at Alamo Square park, at the northwest corner, around 9:21pm. Anyone concur?"-----"Heard four more gunshot-like explosions at 10:49 in the same area. Saw four cops heading east on Fulton and McAllister, not using flashers or sirens."-----"A ton more cops patrolling the area without flashers or sirens."

Sunday, February 17, 2008

(02-17) 18:31 PST San Francisco -- Two people were shot and injured in unrelated shootings in San Francisco early this morning and police have arrested three suspects in the attacks.

Both shootings occurred at around 2:15 a.m. in separate parts of the city, police said.

Officers were in the Tenderloin area of Taylor and Turk Streets when they heard gunfire, and then found one victim with gunshot wounds, police said. The unidentified victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital and was listed in critical condition, police said.

A suspect armed with a gun was arrested at the scene, police said. That person's identity and gender were not released Sunday.

At virtually the same time as the Tenderloin incident, another shooting was reported from a taxi cab in the area of 16th and Harrison Streets, police said.

A passenger in the cab was shot near the buttocks and right thigh area, police reported. The unidentified victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital and treated for non life-threatening injuries, police said.

Two unidentified suspects, believed to be outside the taxi at the time of the shooting, were taken into custody, police said. The driver was not injured, police reported.

Friday, February 15, 2008

San Francisco police today continued to investigate a Wednesday afternoon shooting that seriously injured two women and a man, police said.

The shooting was reported at about 3:07 p.m. at a residence in the 400 block of Kansas Street in the City's Potrero Hill neighborhood. Police said a man entered a room in the residence and shot all three victims as they slept.

Both women and the man were taken to San Francisco General Hospital with life threatening injuries.

No arrests have been made and police have not determined a motive for the shooting. The suspect is only described as a Hispanic male in his early 20s.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

SF: POLICE: TRAIL OF BLOOD LED TO UNCOOPERATIVE STABBING VICTIM

San Francisco police responded to reports of a stabbing in the Tenderloin neighborhood early this morning, the Police Department reported.

Officers responded at about 12:30 a.m. to the area of O'Farrell and Larkin streets and reportedly followed a trail of blood to the 400 block of Eddy Street, police reported.

Officers discovered a 25-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to his back, police reported.

The victim was reportedly uncooperative and didn't give a statement about the incident, according to the Police Department. He was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police reported.

(02-13) 09:13 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The bizarre case of a computer software developer who was apparently slain in December - and whose body lay undiscovered in the back of a van in a San Francisco police impound yard for a week - finally became public Tuesday, as investigators said they were looking for two suspects who shared a home with the victim.

Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, was reportedly attacked with a piece of lumber Dec. 23 at or near his home at 60 Lamartine St. in San Francisco's Mission Terrace neighborhood, authorities said.

A neighbor saw Hoskins being clubbed by one of his housemates that day, but did not call authorities because he dislikes police, said Hoskins' sister, Ureena Hoskins, who conducted her own investigation into her brother's case.

For a month after the attack, the suspects, Richard Carelli and his girlfriend Michelle Pinkerton, both 38, continued to live in the home they had shared with Hoskins. They disappeared only when police impounded Carelli's van from outside the home, and had more than a week's head start before Hoskins' body was finally discovered and a warrant was issued for their arrest.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

(02-12) 12:24 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- Police are searching for two men who walked up to a 21-year-old San Francisco man on the street in the Mission District and shot him to death, authorities said today.

Jose Reynoso and two friends were standing on the 1400 block of South Van Ness Avenue, near 25th Street, around 6:45 p.m. Friday when the two men opened fire, said police Sgt. Steve Mannina.

Reynoso was struck in the head and chest and taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died the next day. Witnesses provided only sketchy descriptions of the killers, who fled on foot.

This one got almost no media. It happened on Friday, but there was no news until today. Further more, SFgate inserted it straight into the crime section, rather than put it on the front page first, like they do for EVERY other crime story, such as the 3 different articles about murder in Oakland. Funny how the SF article is all but ignored...And in the meantime front page headlines shout about Oakland and it's "continuing bloodshed."

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

(02-05) 14:21 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- A man was arrested early today after he allegedly carjacked a woman in San Francisco, crashed the car in Marin County and then carjacked a motorist who came to his aid, authorities said.Mynor Aguirre, 30, of San Francisco began his alleged crime spree when, according to the California Highway Patrol, he stole a woman's 2005 Honda at about 3:20 a.m.Aguirre was driving the Honda when he crashed and rolled over at about 4:50 a.m. on a frontage road off Highway 101 near Tiburon Boulevard, the CHP said. A motorist stopped to assist Aguirre, but the suspect stole his 2006 Infiniti M45, the CHP said.A description of the carjacked Infiniti was broadcast to area law-enforcement agencies.Shortly before 5 a.m., a Marin County sheriff's deputy spotted the Infiniti traveling north on Highway 101 near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and arrested him without incident.Although police were told the suspect in the San Francisco carjacking was armed with a shotgun, no gun was found when Aguirre was stopped, the CHP said.Aguirre was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, driving under the influence, misdemeanor hit-and-run, assault with a deadly weapon and carjacking. He was booked at Marin County Jail.

Victim Of Monday's Fatal Shooting In Bayview Is ID'dPOSTED: 11:19 am PST February 5, 2008SAN FRANCISCO -- A man who was shot in San Francisco's Bayview District on Monday morning was identified Tuesday as 18-year-old Carlos Morales, according to the San Francisco medical examiner's office.The victim's age was previously released as 17 years old.San Francisco police responded to reports of gunfire around 11 a.m. Monday in the area of Kirkwood Avenue and Newhall Street. The victim was brought to San Francisco General Hospital, where Morales was pronounced dead, police said.The suspect remains at large and the victim's death is under investigation.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

(02-03) 10:28 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Medical Examiner has released the identities of two men San Francisco Police say were killed in a double shooting early this morning in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood.

The medical examiner identified 27-year-old Vaughn DeMarco and 29 year-old James Gibson, both of San Francisco, as the two victims who were found dead at the scene in the 100 block of Loehr Street.

The shooting was reported at around 1:30 a.m., police said. No suspects are in custody, and no further information was available.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ― A male is in critical condition after being shot in the head early Saturday morning in San Francisco, police said.

The shooting was reported at 1:54 a.m. and occurred in the area of Felton Street and San Bruno Avenue near the city's Silver Terrace neighborhood. Police said an occupant of one vehicle fired at an occupant of a second vehicle.

A male suffered a gunshot wound to his head and was transported to an area hospital where he is in critical condition, according to police.

98. Cythia Sareen Weaver, 46, killed after falling from her bathroom window while trying to escape her abusive boyfriend, 24th and Folsom Streets, 11:00 p.m., the Mission. She fell on 10/03. (died on 10/20)

97. Jonisha Tucker, 16, hit in the head with a stray bullet, Hollister Avenue and Third Street, 7:37 p.m., Hunters Point., 10/14. (died on 10/16)

79. Giovanni Lechado, 28, shot along with his wife, inside a car at 18th and Bryant Streets, 6:30 p.m., the Mission, 09/04. Their 4 month-old child was in the car when they were shot. Died at SFGH, 11:40 a.m. (09/05)

*54. Paul Lenz, 41, beaten and strangled, body found at Ocean Beach, 4:00 a.m., 01/15. (Declared a homicide 06/13) *Ocean Beach is under jurisdiction of the US Park Police, so Lenz's murder is not being counted by the SFPD in their total, even though he was killed in San Francisco.

18. Liri Lesku, 34, shot while sleeping in house at 407 Kansas Street, on 02/13, at 2:30 p.m. in potrero Hill. Another woman was critically injured, and a man paralyzed in the shooting. (died at SFGH on 02/26)

11. James Gibson, 29, shot to death on the 100 block of Loehr Street, 1:30 a.m., Visitacion Valley. (02/03)

* 10. Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, bludgeoned in his home with a peice of lumber, 60 Lamartine Street, Mission Terrace, on December 22nd. His body was not found until February 1st. * The SFPD is counting this towards 2008's total, even though the man was killed in 2007. (02/01)

2008 Justifiable Homicides

1. Leonard Michael Cole, a 55-year old homeless man, shot and killed after lunging at police officers with a knife, Greenwich and Polk Streets. (01/27)

2008 Suspicious Deaths

1. Marcos Baas-Chi, 26, killed after falling from an apartment window on the 300 block of Eddy Street, 10 p.m., the Tenderloin. (03/18)

2007 Homicide Victims (Final SFPD count: 99 Final FBI count: 100)

104. Albert Collins, 30, shot to death while sheilding his 9 year-old daughter from bullets in drive-by at Brookdale and Santos Avenues in Visitacion Valley. 3 others including his daughter were injured. (12/31)

103. Leonard Milo Hoskins, 49, bludgeoned in his home with a peice of lumber, 60 Lamartine Street, Mission Terrace. His body was not found until February. (12/23)

102. Dewayne Larry, 24, shot to death on the 100 block of Kiska Road, Hunters Point (12/17)

* 82. John Daniel Schirra, 22, found dead 2600 block of San Jose Avenue, Lakeview (09/03) *Not counted by the SFPD, who regard his death as "accidental." The Medical Examiner found trace amounts of LSD in his system, and the police believe that he was high and then stripped down, neatly folded his clothes, went outside, stabbed himself multiple times, fell and hit his head, and then knocked on doors looking for help before he died.

* 58. Hugues De La Plaza, 36, found stabbed to death in his apartment, Linden Street, Hayes Valley. (07/02) *Not included in the SFPD's count because the Medical Examiner has not yet released an official ruling on the cause of death

18. John Donaldson, 44, shot to death in car, another man critically injured, in double shooting at Third and Gilman Streets, Hunters Point (02/19)

17. Cadelia Howard, 54, found shot to death in housing complex, 1200 block of Ingalls Street, Hunters Point (02/17)

16. Tony McDougal, 33, shot at Hayes and Baker in the Western addition. He drove to Haight and Fillmore Streets in the Lower Haight, and crashed into a bus shelter at the scene of another shooting, that had occured an hour earlier, and was being investigated by police. He died at SFGH. (02/12)

2007 Justifiable Homicides

4. Marcus Harris, 37, stabbed to death by his girlfriend after he attacked her, 1500 block of La Salle Avenue, Hunters Point (09/15)

3. Rene Alexander Robinson, 45, shot to death by police when he charges them with two large knives, after he stabbed a man to death (Homicide victim #22) and attempted to hijack a car and stab the inhabitants, 7th and Townsend Streets, SoMa (03/07)

1. Mario Vargas, 36, of Daly City, shot to death by police outside pizzeria, 5145 Mission Street, after pointing a gun at officers, the Mission (01/28)

2007 Suspicious Deaths and Unverified Murders

4. A man was reportedly shot in the face at 24th and York Streets, in the Mission, after which he got in his car, drove a block, crashed, and according to witnesses, died. There was no news, and his death is not recorded on the SFPD's crime maps. Did he not actually die? Did he die from the accident, and not the bullet? (mid-July)

3. Edgar Garcia Torres, 22, killed when a gang member and convicted felon running from police slammed into his car, Third and Quesada Streets, Hunters Point. This was ruled vehicular manslaughter, but another death under almost identical circumstances (homicide #32), was considered a murder. Not sure what the reasoning is. (04/18)

2. Joshua Glasser, 26, found naked, handcuffed, and suffocated, with a plastic bag around his head, in a ransacked apartment, 1900 page street, the Haight. Heard that this was considered a homicide, but later heard it was considered as "suspicious." (02/19)

1. Homeless woman reportedly shot to death, 401 Haight Street, Lower Haight. There was no news story, so it is unsure if the victim died (mid-January)